


Season of the Witch

by katwalke



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Dark!Bonnie, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 15:19:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17347598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katwalke/pseuds/katwalke
Summary: "With dark eyes and a wicked smile, her lips are slick with red and ready to devour. Her fury knows no bounds and she will find you no matter where you run. It’s time for the hunted to become the hunter."Bonnie Bennett has come back from the dead... kind of. She became the anchor but something evil has hitched a ride back. Bonnie slowly gets consumed by the darkness and no one will know how to stop her. That doesn't mean they won't try.





	1. Resurrection

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is set during season 5. She is still on the outs with Jeremy. Her dad was killed by Silas and this story starts right after she became the anchor.

Bonnie Bennett was done. 

Bonnie Bennett has died before but this time she wasn’t coming back. This Bonnie was different.

How did they think that she could be put through all that tragedy and burden and still be herself? She was thrust in a world of darkness, didn’t they think a little would taint her?

Bonnie sat in her big, empty house in the dark. It seemed different too. The yellow walls of the kitchen didn’t feel like sunshine anymore. She remembers her and Grams painting the house when her father was away on one of his business trips. He was mad when he got home. Saying yellow was an impractical color but left it because it was her favorite. She smiled a bit at the fond memory.

She got up from the island stool and headed upstairs, running her hands along the walls as she goes. She bypasses her room and stands at the threshold of her father’s room. It's gathering a bit of dust now. She moves to sit on his made bed and picks up a pillow. Bonnies inhales deeply, it still smells like him. A subtle mix of cinnamon and tobacco. She closes her eyes and a tear slips out. 

It was just her now. But hasn’t it always been?  
The sadness is there. It has been for a while. But now the rage that was simmering underneath seems to be coming to a boil. As she mourns everything she has lost in such a short time, Bonnie feels herself break even more than she was before. 

Her mother left.  
Grams was dead.  
Jeremy cheated on her with a ghost.  
She watched Silas murder her father.  
She died.  
She lost her magic.

The pillow she was holding explodes in her grasp. Feathers raining down around her. So wholesome and innocent like when she first showed Elena her magic. But that was a long time ago. 

Bonnie loses track for how long she sits on the bed silently crying. Bonnie stares at the cream-colored wall absent of pictures as tears silently wet her cheeks. Bonnie doesn’t care about the impossibility of the feathers that still float around her or notice the black veins that pulse just below her bronze skin. 

 

BBBBBBBBBB

There was a knock at the door which snapped her out of her pity. She sniffles once and goes downstairs and stopped in front of the door hoping whoever it was would leave. Bonnie was in no mood to have visitors. A pity party was supposed to have only one guest. 

The knock comes again. 

“Come on Bonnie I know you're in there!”

Elena. Of course. 

Bonnie sighs and walks to the entrance. She opens the door to find Elena’s doe eyes and consoling face. 

“Look, Bonnie, I know you probably don’t want any company but..” Elena stands with her arms wrapped around her thin frame. She was wearing a thermal henley and bootcut jeans. It reminded Bonnie of the old days when they were young before everything happened. Before Elena was a vampire.

“I don’t. I’m not really in the right mood for visitors.” Bonnie cut her off. Bonnie was just tired she wanted to be left alone. Everyone does a fine job of that until they need something.

“Okay… well, I just want you to know I’m here if you need someone. When my parents died I wished there was someone for me. It’s hard to deal with this kind of stuff alone. Especially since I’m not one to ask for help.”

Bonnie scoffed a bit. “I was there for you, Elena. I am always there for you! How could you make this about you right now?” Whether Elena realized it or not she always did this. She manages to shift the attention to her as if the world is off-axis if she’s not the center of it.

“Look, Bonnie, I’m sorry if I offended you in some way but thinking you were dead all that time really hurt me. You really hurt me. It was so hard after everything. I lost you and you were all I had left. I-I just can’t believe you would do something like that to me, to your dad.”

“Don’t talk about my dad, Elena,” Bonnie warned.

“No, Bonnie, you need to hear this. I know that you thought not telling me you died was saving me but it wasn’t. If you came to me with your plan to save Jeremy we could have figured out a way where you didn’t have to die. What you did was selfish but I’m glad we found a way to bring you back.” Elena goes in to try to hug her but Bonnie shakes her head to stop her. She was trying to understand what Elena was saying. 

“God, Elena. I’m selfish? You think I’m selfish? I do everything for you and you don’t even thank me, you just expect that I’ll be there. I don’t know what’s worse if you were an actual bitch or just pretending not to be one.” Bonnie let out. A little surprised that she said that to her friend’s face. Bonnie instantly feet guilty for saying those words of anger in the heat of the moment. 

“Bonnie!” Elena looks at Bonnie with a hurt and offended expression. “How could you say such hurtful things to me? I came here to try to comfort you. I’m your best friend and you treat me like this! I’m not a bitch. You only think that because you were always a little jealous of me, weren’t you? I was always so nice to you, I’m sorry I was always in the spotlight or needed saving but you are being really hurtful. I’m just trying to be a good friend. I can’t believe you would be like this after everything we have done for you too!” Elena’s arms slightly flail in anger. The veins under her eyes appear then disappear. 

That finally breaks Bonnie. She looks appalled. “After everything you have done for me!? What have you done!? Being your friend cost me my family, my dignity, my life. I have lost everything because I love you and you are completely oblivious! You love to act like the victim but do nothing to help yourself. You know why? Because I am there to always clean up your and the Salvatore’s messes no matter the price! It’s not fair!” Bonnie steps closer to an offended looking Elena. “I am done loving you, Elena. You’re not worth it.” Bonnie says quietly.

“B-bu-but Bonnie. You can’t do this.” Elena wines and Bonnie’s heart breaks a little. This needs to be done. Bonnie needs to let Elena go. 

“I can.” Bonnie says calmly. “Please leave, Elena.” 

“B-Bonnie” Elena tries again. Tears were in her eyes and she tentatively reaches out for Bonnie. 

“Leave!” Bonnie raises her voice with tears of her own welling up in her green eyes. Elena then flies across the yard. Bonnie did that, she was sure, but she shouldn’t have her magic. She was technically still a ghost. Bonnie looks down at her hands and feels the power but it's not like any magic she’s ever felt. She was a little afraid, not understanding what was happening. She looks toward a devastated Elena who was trying to stand up. Then she shuts the door and leans against it with a flurry of emotions.

Bonnie had loved Elena for all her life. More than anyone. Perhaps even a little more than a friend. She would do anything for her, but at what point was anything too much?

Bonnie Bennett was done.  
Bonnie Bennett was dead.  
Bonnie Bennett was free.


	2. High on Life

Caroline meets the gang at the Grille, but Bonnie was noticeably absent. “Where’s Bonnie?” Caroline asked when she sits down. They were supposed to have a “Yay-You’re-Alive” lunch.

Elena looks wounded. “I don’t think she’s coming.”

“What? Why?” Caroline was confused it wasn’t like Bonnie to ditch out on her friends.

“She’s mad at me. At all of us, I think. I went to go see her like four nights ago, you know, to make sure she was ok like a good friend and she totally blew up at me!” Damon moves to comfort her as Elena starts to distress. He places his hand on her shoulder. Elena takes breath and continues. “She said she is done being my friend and everything is my fault!” Elena gets a chorus of “no’s” from the boys as if she needed to be reassured she’s never done anything wrong.

Caroline, however, was a little more suspicious. “Elena, we both know Bonnie wouldn’t do that for no reason. I mean dying can change a person. Plus she just lost her dad and her magic. I would be a little testy too.” Caroline defends Bonnie. All she needed was some space, Caroline knew. Bonnie was one to work out things by herself. Her friend was always introspective and introverted and needed time alone. “Just give her some time, Elena.”

Elena opened her mouth to protest and to tell her about Bonnie’s magic but Caroline stopped her. “Oh, don’t do that. You know that you poked the bear, Elena. You didn’t give Bonnie what she needed, you gave her what you needed.” Caroline went to the bar and ordered food to-go. Maybe she’ll go see Bonnie after all.

 

BBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Caroline shows up at Bonnie’s house with the food. Debating on to leave it and text Bonnie or actually see her. She sucks it up and rings the doorbell. Bonnie opens the door looking worse for wear. Her long hair was unbrushed and wild. There were bags under her eyes and her pallor was pale. In her pajama shorts and an old Timberwolves t-shirt, Bonnie stands barefoot at the threshold.

  
“Wow, you look bad,” Caroline said before she could stop herself.

“Thanks, Care, just what a girl wants to hear. Do you think its because of my recent death or maybe I should just put on a face mask?” Bonnie walks into the kitchen leaving the door open for Caroline to come in.

“At least you didn’t lose your sass in your resurrection.”

“Just my magic.” Bonnie didn’t know if she wanted to bring up her magic or lack thereof? It didn't feel like the magic she was used too. It was something else, something darker. Bonnie decided to keep it to herself to research later.

“Hey I brought you some food,” Caroline said changing the touchy subject. “I thought if you couldn’t come to lunch, I’d bring it to you.”

“Thanks, Caroline.” A soft smile graces her lips but does not show in her eyes.

They ate in silence. Caroline didn't bring up her death and Elena, even if was killing her. Caroline figures if Bonnie wanted to talk about it then she will in time. So she simply asks her what's wrong.

“I don’t know, Care. I mean I’m happy to be alive but, something doesn’t seem right.” Bonnie sighs and wonders if she should burden Caroline with her problems. “I feel like I’m missing something. Not my magic or my dad. That’s something else entirely. But I feel like I’m- I don’t know, always hungry or tired or ugh something!” Bonnie slams her fork down in frustration. “I’m sad and exhausted and I’m just sitting here waiting for the other shoe to drop when I should be living my second chance at life. But it’s like I need something and I just don’t know what it is.” Bonnie speaks quickly with her trying to get her point across knowing Caroline won’t understand. Hell, she barely understands.

“I’m sorry Bonnie. I didn’t know it was this hard. Is there anything I could do to help?” Caroline asks knowing it’s fruitless. What could she do? Bonnie was always the one who helps, she was the fix-it witch as much as Caroline hated that that’s what she became.

“No, I just need to get to the root of it. Do some research. It's probably me just adjusting to being back in the land of the living again.” Bonnie gives Caroline a fake smile again, brushing off her problems. “Thanks for lunch, Care. I really needed it. I’m starving here.” Bonnie wasn’t lying. She was starving. But for what?

  
Bonnie take hold of Caroline’s hand in reassurance. Caroline smiles. “No problem. You’d tell me off something was really wrong though, right?”

“Of course. I never could keep a secret from you. You’re way too tenacious.” Caroline looks a Bonnie for a few seconds, not entirely believing her.

“Elena…” Caroline finally brought it up. Bonnie knew that Elena would tell them, she probably made it sound like Bonnie yelled at her for no reason.

“Elena…” Bonnie steps in to fill the hanging sentence. “Elena needed to realize that the world doesn’t revolve around her. I meant what I said to her. I need a break. I- being her friend just so hard and rewardless now. Death and destruction follows her wherever she goes and I’m always the one who has to pay the price.”

“Bonnie..” Caroline starts. It hurts seeing such a long friendship end.

“I know, I know. It was a choice I was not forced into anything, but my love for her made me stupid, I guess... I sacrificed everything for her just to be her knight in shining armor and dying made me realize that maybe it’s just not worth it. I need to figure out how to love myself more than her before I can be her friend again.”

Caroline understands. She does. She’s happy that Bonnie is taking herself out fo Elena’s shadow.  
“It’s ok, Bonnie. You don’t have to feel guilty. You deserve to be first.”

They hug after Caroline gets up to leave.  
“Thank you Care.”

“Anytime, Bonnie. I just want you to be ok.”

“I am. I’ll see you soon.” Bonnie watches as Caroline gets in her car and drives away.

 

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Bonnie sulks in her home for at least two weeks. She doesn’t leave the house. There are takeout containers all over her kitchen and living room. Her grimoire lay open on the coffee table. She has read front and back for the past few days. She was trying to understand what it means to be the anchor and why she still had her magic. If it even was her magic.

Bonnie still hasn’t spoken to Elena. She probably took Caroline’s advice and is waiting for Bonnie to come to her. Caroline comes by occasionally but is now busy with school. Bonnie told Caroline that she wasn’t ready to go to college just yet after she notices Bonnie's absence from the Whitmore Freshman orientation.

Bonnie feels less and less like herself each passing day. Bonnie rummages through the fridge knowing she should eat something even if it won't fill the hunger she feels. Bonnie is startled when she hears a voice behind her.

“Where am I?” Bonnie turns quickly to see a man standing in front of her. He has blood all over his chest. Fear rises as she immediately senses he is a vampire.

“What are you doing in my house?” Bonnie asks, backing into the open fridge as he takes a step toward her.

“I don’t know. I was fighting with another guy when he stabbed me and I ended up here.” He looks around.

Bonnie understood what this was. He was dead. He was supposed to pass through her to get to the Otherside. Bonnie swallowed. God, she hopes it won't hurt.

“Take my hand and you’ll be okay.” She reaches out to the vampire.

The instant he touches her hand he disappears. But Bonnie feels so good. It feels like she’s been fed. That missing part that she was frustrated about was filled. A moan of satisfaction slipped out.

She shuts the fridge, no longer feeling hungry. She leans her head against the cool metal, confused about her first Passing. It shouldn’t be like this. For Amara it was painful. It drove her crazy. But Bonnie felt better than ever. She sees her reflection in the stainless steel of the refrigerator. She looks radiant, flawless. Her skin is glowing and her eyes are bright. She feels almost strung out, euphoric. Bonnie fears she could go crazy in a different kind of way.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

 

It’s time to leave the house, Bonnie decides. She feels so good. So much like herself. She finally returns Jeremy’s calls, asking him to the Grille.

Bonnie takes off her pajamas to put real clothes on for the first time in two weeks. Bonnie puts on loose black tank top dress with combat boots. She adds some long necklaces for good measure. She looks more like herself than she has since she came back from the dead. Bonnie styles her long hair into waves. She darkens her eye makeup, trying to accentuate how green her eyes look now after the passing.

She feels unstoppable after the supernatural passed through her. Like a new person. Yes, she was a new person. She was no longer the shy, flower-child Bonnie Bennett. She was a powerful witch, guardian of the Otherside. Her resurrection has brought a newfound confidence. She was out of Elena’s shadow and she should look like it.

Bonnie went shopping for more attention-catching clothes and even cut off her long hair that she would often hide behind. She was ready to be seen.

Bonnie was now at the Grille to meet Jeremy. She was sitting in a booth with her bags surrounding her.

Damon approaches and slips into the other side of the bench with a tumbler of bourbon in hand. “Well Judgy, I almost didn’t recognize you. With the new do and all.” Damon gestures around his own hair.

Bonnie leans forward a bit, crossing her arms on the table, looking into his cup. “Hmm, day drinking. How very unsurprising, Damon.” Bonnie deadpans. “Who need friends when you can drink alone?”

“You know I kind of missed you. People in this town can’t hold a good conversation.” Damon avoids her eyes. He was being serious. She did kind of liked their banter too.

“Not even Elena?” Bonnie goads.

“Well her mouth is good for other things.” Damon, forever with the innuendos.

“Gross.” Bonnie rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure you would think so. How’d it feel to die a virgin?” Damon smirks. 

“I guess I got a lot of time to make up for then. Know any good tricks?” The look on Damon’s face was priceless. Bonnie didn’t know what made her say that. Her new found confidence was going a bit too far. Never had Bonnie reciprocated his meaningless flirting. She would have before if she’d know how fun it was. She flips her new bob and laughs at his expense.

“Relax, Damon. I would have thought if anyone could take a joke it’d be you. I mean since you are one.” Bonnie smiles sweetly as his eye go wide in anger.

“Here’s your burger, Bonnie.” Matt places her cheeseburger down in front of her with a smile. Effectively

“Why thank you, Matt” Bonnie immediately sticks a fry in her mouth. “Bye, Damon.” Bonnie dismisses him. Damon gets up to leave with nothing else left to say passing Jeremy on the way out.

“Hey, Jer!” Bonnie beams as he sits down in the booth across from her.

“Wow Bonnie, you look good! I like your hair. I was worried about you for a bit.” Jeremy is happy that she asked him to dinner. He can finally talk to her about their relationship or if there still is even one.

“Thank you. I’m fine. I’m actually better than ever. High on life, JerBear” Bonnie looks around like she was checking to see if anyone was listening, then she lowers her voice. “A vampire passed through me this morning.” Jeremy looked worried. He opens his mouth to ask if she was ok but Bonnie spoke before he could. “I feel amazing, Jer. I think I figured it out too. My experience as the anchor is different from Amara. It was a punishment for her but for me, Tessa’s descendant, it is a gift. Each time a supernatural passes through me I feel amazing!”

“I’m so happy for you Bonnie.” Jeremy was being truthful. Bonnie was more ecstatic that he’s ever seen her. He was happy that she was. He finally had his girlfriend back. He takes her hands in his. “I’m so glad everything worked out for once. This means we can move on and think about our future. We haven’t really talked about us since you died.”

“Oh.” Bonnie lamely said. She didn’t know how she felt about getting back with Jeremy. Yes, she did sacrifice herself to bring him back to life, but now at this moment, she was unsure. “I…” She began and looked up at Jeremy’s hopeful face. “I am happy that your here right now.” Jeremy smiled at her, accepting her answer for more than it was.

Bonnie hoped this would buy her some time. She didn’t know what to do. Bonnie felt that she couldn’t just end this. She literally died for her boyfriend. That's got to mean you love him right? But would it be fair to her to be with someone she would put before herself? Was it okay to ostracize Elena when she was willing to be with Jeremy?

This relationship talk really bummed out her Passing high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! More chapters to come!


End file.
